Manchester City and Manchester United will face off in the 151st FA Cup final at Wembley, the national stadium of England. City will be fighting for their seventh trophy and United will be fighting for their 13th trophy. This puts both teams in the top 10 most successful FA Cup teams in the century-and-half history of the competition.
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Manchester City have a ways to go to catch up with Arsenal, the most successful team in the tournament. This article brings you the list of the teams that stand in the Cityzens' way to the top.
Most Successful FA Cup Teams and Nigerians Who Have Played for Them
Nigerians have enjoyed a good run in the Premier League. Among Africans, the Nigeria national football team has been the most represented side in England's top flight.
In the lower tiers of English football, there is also a good number of Nigerians and Super Eagles players who have featured for various teams. By virtue of the inclusive nature of the FA Cup, all these players have also participated in the tournament.
Only a few have won them, however, and even fewer have played for the most successful FA Cup teams. Here are the most successful FA Cup teams and the Nigerians who have played for them.
Arsenal
Kanu Nwankwo, Alex Iwobi, Semi Ajayi
Arsenal is the most successful FA Cup team in history. Their 14 titles is the most that any team has won in the competition's history. Their first title came in 1930, 58 years after the tournament was introduced, and their last win was in 2020, in Mikel Arteta's first season.
A host of Super Eagles prospects have played for them but only Alex Iwobi, Nwankwo Kanu and Semi Ajayi have played for both the Nigeria national football team and Arsenal's first team. Kanu is the most successful of them all with two FA Cup wins, followed by Iwobi with one. Ajayi never won any with the team.
Manchester United
Odion Ighalo
Manchester United, one of the finalists of the 151st FA Cup final, is the next most successful FA Cup team with 12 titles to their name. They are also the most successful team in English football history.
Their first FA Cup title came in 1909 and their most recent was in 2016. They have also had a host of players eligible to represent Nigeria pass through their academy, but none have made it to their first team. Super Eagles striker and AFCON 2019 top scorer, Odion Ighalo, is the only Nigerian to have played for them. He did not win a trophy, however.
Chelsea
John Obi Mikel, Celestine Babayaro, Kenneth Omeruo, Ola Aina, Victor Moses
Chelsea is one of three teams with eight titles, along with Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Of these three, they have featured the most Super Eagles players. The aforementioned are players who have made appearances for the Super Eagles with John Obi Mikel being the most successful of them all.
Only the ex-Nigeria national team captain, Babayaro and Victor Moses have won FA Cup titles with Chelsea. Carney Chukwuemeka is one player who the NFF should look out for as he could become pivotal for Chelsea and eventually win trophies, including an FA Cup title, with the Blues.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa are the next on the list with seven titles to their name. They have had a number of Nigeria Super Eagles prospects appear for them. They have seven titles, with their first coming in 1887 and their last coming in 1957.
Manchester City and Newcastle United
The finalists of the 151st FA Cup final have also had a few Nigerian represent them, most notably Kelechi Iheanacho, who was expected to take over from Sergio Aguero until Pep Guardiola decided otherwise to send him to Leicester City.
Newcastle United have had Babayaro, Shola Ameobi among others wear their jersey in English football. They both have six titles.
This article was most recently revised and updated 5 months ago
